The complexity and problems associated with the installation or removal of lighting fixtures and has resulted in increased costs to consumers by requiring professional installation or removal. That added cost or safety considerations deter removal of fixtures when, for example, servicing or cleaning the fixture, painting the adjacent ceiling or wall, or relocating the fixture elsewhere. When consumers or even professionals do choose to install fixtures themselves, extreme caution needs to be taken to avoid shock or to prevent fires, due to accidental contact with live wires, shorts, or from an improper connection. This procedure is fatiguing, awkward, and dangerous when done from a ladder--hands held over head--trying to accomplish the following tasks: holding the unit to be installed, wiring, holding tools, and holding the correct parts needed.
Devices for quickly connecting lighting fixtures and other permanently fixed devices are known. However, these devices, as a result of their complexity and the inherent danger of working with electrical wires, are difficult to install and can only be used with a specific fixutre or device.
Other difficulties of the prior art quick connect devices are their inability to support heavy fixtures; use of materials which deteriorate and fatigue over time particularly when subjected to high temperatures often present in incandescent installations, particularly in insulated ceilings; the fact that the plug and socket portions are presently or unconventionally attached to the fixture and box respectively so that one unfamiliar with the system cannot safely or easily remove the socket from the box or the plug from the fixture without special instruction; their lack of proper polarization; failure to provide electrical wire leads for connection to the power leads and fixture leads using common wire nuts with leads all being color coded; failure to provide proper wire strain relief; inability to be installed to improperly installed junction boxes; lack of modularity and adaptability to a variety of electrical devices so that a standard plug and socket connection can be used for all devices, i.e., any device may be plugged into a standard socket; and short cycle life, i.e., they fail after a few uses.
The material composition and dangerous electrical design of the prior art quick connect devices has prevented commercial acceptance of those devices and these devices have not achieved listing by Underwriters Laboratories. Their cost of production is high because of their complex construction. Thus, there is a need for a device relatively simple in construction, which is safe to install, and acceptable for use with the variety of fixtures used in residential, industrial and commercial applications. The present invention represents a substantial improvement over the prior art by fulfilling these needs.